


Staffing Issues

by Freedom_Shamrock



Series: Marichat May 2017 [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Friendship, Marichat, Marichat May
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 17:11:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10835673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedom_Shamrock/pseuds/Freedom_Shamrock
Summary: Chat Noir brings Marinette to a pretty rooftop garden to photograph her latest awesome designs.  His baton causes some trouble.





	Staffing Issues

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KawaiiKekeChan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiKekeChan/gifts).



> This is a loose continuation from [Model Predator](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10764678) (I think something needs to happen in between, though). I’ll be back to the [Something Familiar](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10793181/chapters/23940201) story-line with the next one.

"Got everything?" Chat asked, hefting a duffel bag to his shoulder.

Marinette settled the straps of her backpack, taking the time to fasten the chest strap and hip belt.  "Are you sure about lugging everything to… where are we going again?"

Chat beamed at her, excited to see her expression when they got there.  "I found the perfect place for the next batch of photos.  You'll love it."  She didn't need to know that he found it by doing a photoshoot there in his civilian identity.

"Let me guess," she said, rolling her brilliant blue eyes in an exaggerated fashion.  "It's a surprise."

"You know me so well!"  That pleased him, too.  Marinette was one of the sweetest kindest people he knew, and to realize that she cared enough to really get to know Chat made his chest all warm.  He tamped down on the emotion before it could manifest as a purr that he didn't want to have to explain.  All his visits with her had been the highlight of his summer so far, and he really didn't want to have to look too closely at his motivations.

"So you're going to be okay carrying all this and me?" she asked, pushing for an answer.

He nodded.  "Yes, Princess.  I've carried much heavier, and it's not far.  I pawmise."  He'd taken her out for tours of Paris a few times in the last few months, and she'd handled it surprisingly well.  A little squeak here or there, usually when he made a sudden change in direction, were the only noises of concern.  Mostly, she spent the entire ride giggling her head off.

"So am I going piggyback or sidesaddle?" she asked.  She was either assessing where she was supposed to hold on, or she was checking him out.  Seriously, the two looks were hard to distinguish.

"Let's go with side," he suggested, holding out his arm for her to come in close, like a half hug.  "I've already got the bag shifting me that way."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled.  "All right Chat.  Feel free to take me to this amazingly awesome, and probably totally over the top and unnecessary setting."

He tightened his arm around her waist and held out his baton.  "You deserve some nice pictures of your creations, Mari," he said, in a moment of seriousness.  "They don't even have to go in your portfolio, but you should have them for yourself."  Before she could respond, he extended his baton and launched them into the air.  Three.  Two.   One.

"I feel like I'm flying!" Marinette called out dramatically before keeping with her pattern and dissolving into laughter.  

"I bet you're a ton of fun to ride roller coasters with," he said.

"I have no... idea."  Her words were forced and interrupted my giggles.  "I've never… been."

He wondered if there was any way Adrien could get a day off to take his former classmate to the amusement park.  His father and his stupid excessive schedule meant that while all his friends were spending the summer on adventures or relaxing, he was working so much he wouldn't have seen any of them if they had been in town.  He could only get over to Marinette's house as Chat, and usually at night or during odd breaks in his schedule.  Right now, he was supposed to be working out, and he figured this counted.

He navigated along the skyline until he reached the rooftop garden used for his photoshoot yesterday.  During breaks and when others were changing, he managed to chat up the owner.  While it could be reserved for weddings and private events, weekdays were pretty open.  Renting it for today had cost pocket change, but Marinette didn't need to know about that part.  What he'd said was true.  He knew good designs when he saw them.  Her work was beautiful and deserved to be showcased properly, even if they were just for her.  Plus, he'd had the most fun, making memories with her like this.  It was probably going to be one of those summers he would always remember fondly, the first since he was nine or ten.

"Okay, here we are."  He settled them in the center, where the camera equipment had been set up for his shoot.

"Oooooh."  Her laughter was immediately squelched.  "It's beautiful, Chat."  She unbuckled her backpack while gazing the arbors and vines.  "Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?"  She looked worried, and he suspected she was already invested in the setting, and didn't want to be if it might get taken away.

He smiled.  "It's fine," he insisted.  "I actually made arrangements with the owner after I discovered it."

For the first set of photos, they each wore one of the outfits he'd referred to as Date Suit.  She'd liked the moniker and used it as the official name.  Her camera had died three pictures in to their last shoot, so they also both had a second outfit, though he wasn't sure which ones they were.  He'd been stunned by the sheer volume of ideas and outfits she'd designed in the last few weeks.

For his turn in front of the camera, he used his modeling knowledge to give her some standard looks and poses.  She'd call out a mood and he'd deliver it, his sensitive magical ears picking up the click of the camera.  Her turn as model went a little slower, with him coaching her into a position, sometimes showing her an expression or pose to mimic.  She was really good for someone without experience, and he had a lot of fun being the photographer for a change.

For his second outfit, she'd made a silvery gray vest that went over a emerald green oxford and black pants.  Instead of ending at his waist, like most styles, it came down to just below his hip bones.  He was so constantly surrounded by fine clothing, it was rare for him to covet something so much, but he desperately needed to find a way to see her photos as Adrien so he could commission one of these.  

While his back was turned, he heard the distinctive shuffling of fabric indicating she was stripping.  As Adrien he had absolutely no body shyness.  As Chat Noir, he was dressing over his suit.  The idea of Marinette half naked behind him in the roof top garden brought a rush of heat to his cheeks.  "Uhhh.  Let me know when it's safe to look."  That sounded casual, right?

"Oh, it's plenty safe," she assured him.  "I'm wearing a bodysuit that matches my skin tone."

"Really?"  He glanced over his shoulder, and sure enough, there she was, almost looking naked, but not.  It had convertible straps and a low neckline, so it would work under a variety of outfits.  "That's a great idea."

"Your suit made me think of it."  She walked over to him, wearing a clingy silvery dress with green accents..  "Zip me?"  

His fingers fumbled a little on the zipper, which she hadn't even bothered to start, and he totally blamed his claws.

"Okay, you're first this time," she said, picking up the camera again.  "I'm hoping to get some ideas from watching you pose."

"Glad to be of service."  He ended up using his baton extended as a staff for the last set of photos, paired with a smoulder.  From the tiny little whine she let out, he could only assume it worked as well as he'd hoped.  

When it was her turn to model, she held out a hand.  "Can I borrow your staff?"

"Sure thing."  He thought nothing of handing it to her.  "We'll start easy.  Gimmie flirty," he said.  It was a look she'd been surprisingly good at.

She turned her back on the camera, set her feet about shoulder width apart, planted his staff by her side and looked over her shoulder at him.  Yeah.  That was a good look.  For the next one, she shimmied a little and turned to the side, wrapping both hands firmly around the staff.  There was a hint of mischief in her face just before she leaned forward, popping out her ass just right.  He had to forcibly remind himself to photograph, not oogle.

"How about playful?" he suggested.  Oh god.  That was worse.  With a knowing little smirk, she rubbed her cheek against the staff, the glowing cat paw symbol pointed toward him.  Then she slid one hand smoothly up to the top where her thumb ran circles over the end.

He had to clear his enough to speak.  "Ooo-kay.  That's enough baton."

She hugged it to her chest and shot him a pout.  "Am I doing it wrong?"

"Definitely not."

"So why do I have to give it back."  She smiled.  "I like it."

"Yes, I can see that," he agreed.  "But you being sexy with my staff is going to make my brain implode."  Yeah.  He should've worded that slightly differently.

Her smile widened to show her teeth.  That couldn't be good.  Slowly, holding his eyes with hers, she ran her tongue up the end of his baton, kissing the end in a way that he could only describe as obscene.  He stared at her, completely unprepared for the freight train rumble that came out of him.

Her eyes widened in surprise, but there was something smug about her smile.  "I think the kitty likes to watch me play… with… his… staff."  She paused between the last few words to press her lips to the miraculous metal in her hand.  "Maybe next time he wants me to watch."  Her tongue darted out to press the pawprint and shrink it back to baton-size.  "Or participate."  Stepping closer, she reached under his vest and shirt to tuck the baton into place at the small of his back.  Then, as if she hadn't just shoved his brain firmly off the track and into a swamp, she strode back to her spot and struck an elegant pose.  "Any time, Kitty."

**Author's Note:**

> Marichat May, Day 5, Baton  
> This is also a continuation of my [Miraculous Acts of Kindness](http://archiveofourown.org/series/714990) series proposed by [Squirrellygirlart](https://squirrellygirlart.tumblr.com/post/160090522213/hey-my-followers-miraculous-acts-of-kindness) on Tumblr. Kawai-Keke-Chan is half of the team who brought us the prompts for Marichat May 2017, so I wanted to write her something. You can check out her writing and amazing costumes [on Tumblr](http://kawaii-keke-chan.tumblr.com/) and her writing [here on AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiKekeChan/pseuds/KawaiiKekeChan).
> 
> You can also find me on Tumblr.  
> [Geeky me](http://freedom-shamrock.tumblr.com/)  
> [Professional me](http://s-n-arly.tumblr.com/) (where original stuff lives).


End file.
